2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

Obama Receives Endorsement Of Over 80 Newspapers

Obama receives endorsement of over 80 newspapers

To date, Barack Obama has received over 80 endorsements from newspapers in early states and states with February 5 primaries around the country.

Below are a few excerpts, followed by a list of the endorsements with links to the full articles.

Chicago Tribune: "Barack Obama is the rare individual who can sit in the U.S. Senate yet have his career potential unfulfilled. He is the Democrat best suited to lead this nation. We offer him our endorsement for the Feb. 5 Illinois primary."

Arizona Republic: "We believe Barack Obama has the best chance of moving Washington and the nation beyond the poisonous partisanship of recent decades. He appeals to independent voters and Republicans, in addition to members of his own party. His promise to unite is convincing."

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Barack Obama is aware of yesterday, but he is about today and tomorrow and next year. In a strong field of Democratic presidential contenders, he offers the best hope of transforming the debate and moving on to what America can be in the 21st century."

San Francisco Chronicle: "In a Jan. 17 meeting with our editorial board, Obama demonstrated an impressive command of a wide variety of issues. He listened intently to the questions. He responded with substance. He did not control a format without a stopwatch on answers or constraints on follow-up questions, yet he flourished in it. He radiated the sense of possibility that has attracted the votes of independents and tapped into the idealism of young people during this campaign. He exuded the aura of a 46-year-old leader who could once again persuade the best and the brightest to forestall or pause their grand professional goals to serve in his administration."

Newspapers that have endorsed Barack Obama:

AL – Tuscaloosa News
AZ – The Arizona Republic
CA – Black Voice News
CA – Chico News & Review
CA – Fresno Bee
CA – Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
CA – Long Beach Leader
CA – Los Angeles Daily News
CA – Los Angeles Sentinel
CA – Los Angeles Wave
CA – Marin Pacific Sun
CA – Modesto Bee
CA – North Bay Bohemian
CA – North Coast Journal
CA – Palm Springs Desert Sun
CA – Pasadena Star-News/San Gabriel Valley Tribune/Whittier Daily News
CA – Precinct Reporter
CA – Riverside Press-Enterprise
CA – Sacramento Bee
CA – San Diego City Beat
CA – San Francisco Bay Guardian
CA – San Francisco Bay View
CA – San Francisco Chronicle
CA – San Jose Mercury News
CA – Santa Barbara Independent
CA – Santa Cruz Sentinel
CA – Tri County Bulletin
CA – Stockton Record
CO – Aspen Times
CO – Colorado Springs Independent
CT – Connecticut Post
CT – Norwich Bulletin
CT – The Day
CT – Yale Daily News
FL – Gainesville Sun
FL – Palm Beach Post
FL – Tampa Tribune
FL – St. Petersburg Times
GA – Atlanta Journal Constitution
GA – Atlanta Daily World
IA – Ames Iowa State Daily
IA – Des Moines El Latino
IA – Iowa City Press Citizen
IA – Iowa City Daily Iowan
IA – Sioux City Journal
IA – Logan Herald-Observer
IA – Ottumwa Courier
IL – Chicago Defender
IL – Chicago Sun-Times
IL – Chicago Tribune
IL – Daily Herald
IL – Belleville News Democrat
MA – Bay State Banner
MA – Boston Globe
MA – Boston Phoenix
MA – Daily News Tribune
MA – The Springfield Republican
ME – Portland Press Herald
MN – Minnesota Daily
MO – Kansas City Call
MO – St. Louis Post-Dispatch
NH – Littleton Courier
NH – Nashua Telegraph
NH – Portsmouth Herald
NH – Valley News
NJ – The Trenton Times
NV – Elko Daily Free Press
NV – Las Vegas Review Journal
NV – Reno Gazette Journal
NY – Daily Star
NY – Gay City News
NY – New York Observer
NY – New York Post
NM – Santa Fe New Mexican
NM – Santa Fe Reporter
PA – Philadelphia Inquirer
SC – The State
SC – The Rock Hill Herald
SC – The Greenville News
TN – Tri-State Defender
TX – Dallas Morning News
WA – The Seattle Times

Debate Reactions: Barack Obama At The CNN Politico Debate

Debate Reactions: Barack Obama At The CNN Politico Debate

A focus group of Independent voters watch the Democratic debate, and when it ends, overwhelmingly come down in support of Barack Obama...

More rave reviews...

Time (Halperin): Tenaciously drove his four core issues (change, unity, inspiration, problem solving), and incorporated them into almost every answer. LINK

Atlantic (Marc Ambinder): … I’ll give Obama the edge LINK

MSNBC (Richard Wolffe): …This was by far his best debate

NBC (Chuck Todd): … And then came Iraq and Clinton once again showed why the issue has been such an Achilles heel. Obama just has an easier time talking about his position. Clinton has to sit there and re-explain why she was for it and why she's not for it now. LINK

Politico (Ben Smith): “Obama's comfortable turf”: His trump card is his vote against the war, and he's moved toward a new argument for why it's relevant. "I think I will be the Dem who will be most effective in going up a John McCain...because I will offer a clear contrast," he says. "I don’t want to just end the war, I want to end the mindset that got us into war in the first place." LINK

Obama Campaign Begins Airing Ads In Key Post Feb 5 Contests

OBAMA CAMPAIGN BEGINS AIRING ADS IN KEY POST FEB 5 CONTESTS

TV and Radio spots go up across WA, NE, LA, ME, DC, VA, and MD

CHICAGO, IL –The Obama campaign today announced that it will begin airing ads in key states holding caucuses and primaries on February 9th, 10th and 12th.  The television and radio spots will hit key markets in Washington State, Nebraska, and Louisiana which hold contests on February 9th, Maine, which holds its caucuses on February 10th and the February 12th primaries in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland. In Maryland, we will begin airing a new ad, “Future,” that features Obama’s South Carolina victory speech.

THE FOLLOWING ADS WILL BEGIN RUNNING TOMORROW IN THE STATES BELOW:

Washington State:

“President”

Nebraska:

“President”

“Mother”

Rural Radio Spot featuring Senator Ben Nelson

Louisiana:

“Chances I Had”
Maine:

“Enough”

“President”

Washington, DC:

“President”

“Caroline”

Maryland:

“Enough”

“Future”

Virginia:

“Enough”

“President”

SCRIPTS BELOW:

Future:

Visual: Obama South Carolina Victory Speech

I’m Barack Obama and I approved this message. 

This election is about the past versus the future.

As hard as it may seem, we cannot lose hope because there are people all across this great nation who are counting on us who can’t afford another four years without healthcare.

They can’t afford another four years without good schools.

They can’t afford another four years without decent wages.

Don’t tell me we can’t change.

Yes we can.

Character:

SEN. NELSON:  This is Senator Ben Nelson, and I want to tell you about the man I am proud to support for President of the United States, Barack Obama.   

I believe we are too divided today, that there is too much bickering and harsh partisanship in Washington. As someone who has spent a career working across the aisle, I believe Senator Obama is our best hope for reconciliation. His plan strengthens family farms and promotes rural America's leadership in renewable energy.

And I know Barack is a man of great character and strong Christian values who will make us proud and inspire change. 

BARACK OBAMA: This is Barack Obama. Let’s bring Democrats, Independents and Republicans together, not just to win an election, but to transform a nation, and that’s why I approved this message.

NELSON This is Senator Ben Nelson.  I hope you’ll join me in supporting Barack Obama on February 9th.  Visit Nebraska.BarackObama.com to find out the time and location of your local caucus.  And vote for Barack Obama for change we can believe in. 

ANNCR:  Paid for by Obama for America. 

Caroline:

Visual
Audio

Color footage of JFK; B&W footage of JFK; footage of moon landing
CK VO: Once we had a President who made people feel hopeful about America and brought us together to do great things.

Color footage of BO in front of flag and walking in front of crowd.
CK VO: Today Barack Obama gives us that same chance.

Color stills of BO
CK VO: He makes us believe in ourselves again. That when we act as one nation we can overcome any challenge.

CK to camera
CK Synch: People always tell me how my father inspired them. I feel that same excitement now.

CK to camera
CK Synch: Barack Obama can lift America and make us one nation again.

Footage of BO with Kennedy family
VO BO: I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message

President:

Visual
Audio

Barack V/O:

I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message.

Barack Sync:

I’ll be a president…

Visual

“Obama offers universal health care plan”  -- Associated Press, May 29, 2007
Barack V/O:

…who finally makes health care available…

Barack Sync:

…to every single American…

Barack V/O:

…by bringing Democrats and Republicans together.

Barack Sync:

I’ll be a president who ends the tax breaks for companies…

Visual

“Obama proposes tax cut for middle class, seniors” – Chicago Tribune, September 18, 2007
Barack V/O:

…that ship our jobs overseas, and put a middle class tax cut…

Barack Sync:

… into the pockets of working Americans.

Visual

“Obama opposed Iraq war from the start” –Associated Press, Oct 2, 2007
Barack V/O:

And I’ll be a president who ends this war in Iraq and finally brings our troops home.

Barack Sync:

We are one nation, and our time for change has come.

Approved by Barack Obama.  Paid for by Obama for America

Chances I Had:

Visual
Audio

Barack V/O: My parents weren't rich. My father left me when I was very young.

Barack SYNC: The one thing I was able to get was a great education.

Barack V/O: We should give every child the same chances that I had…

Obama's Education Plan:

- Expand early childhood education

- Recruit a new generation of teachers

Barack SYNC: By investing in early childhood education and recruiting a whole new generation of teachers. But, government alone is not going to solve the problem.

Barack SYNC: We need parents to turn off the television and instill in our children a sense of excellence.

Barack SYNC: We've got to ask more of ourselves…

Barack V/O: if we want the kind of world education that they need.

Approved by Barack Obama. Paid for by Obama for America.

Barack V/O: I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message.

Enough:

Visual
Audio

B&W still of BO
BO VO:

I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message.

BO speaking to town hall sized crowd
BO Synch: Ordinary people all across the country are struggling from paycheck to paycheck.

If the plant moves to China, and you’ve been working there for 20, 30 years and suddenly you have the rug pulled out from under ya…

And you don’t have healthcare, and you don’t have a pension, you’re on your own.

We gotta stop giving tax breaks to companies that are moving overseas and give those tax breaks to companies that are investing right here in the United States of America.

Approved by Barack Obama.  Paid for by Obama for President.
Enough is enough.

Mother:

My mother died of cancer at 53. In those last painful months, she was more worried about paying her medical bills than getting well.  I hear stories like hers everyday.

For 20 years Washington has talked about health care reform and reformed nothing.  I’ve got a plan to cut costs and cover everyone. But unless we stop the bickering and the lobbyists we will be in the same place twenty years from now.

I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message because to fix health care we have to fix Washington.

Obama Target Center Event Effectively "Sold Out"

Obama Target Center Event Effectively "Sold Out"

The Barack Obama event at the Target Center on Saturday is effectively sold out. Tickets are no longer available online and a very limited number of paper tickets are still available at our ticket distribution locations across the state. Minnesotans can add their name to a wait list and we will notify them as space becomes available. But we cannot guarantee that anyone from the wait list will be able to attend the event. The wait list can be accessed here:

https://minnesota.barackobama.com/minneapolis

This free event “sold out” less than 24 hours after tickets became available.

UPDATE: We have now given away a ticket for every seat in the Target Center and have more than 2,000 Minnesotans and growing on the waiting list. Tickets are no longer available.

The Minnesota Daily Editorial Board Endorses Barack Obama For President

A real voice for change
The editorial board endorses Sen. Barack Obama for President of the United States.

On Tuesday, Feb. 5, Minnesota voters will gather to choose nominees for the next president of the United States. On Tuesday, the Editorial Board urges you to make your voice heard and to consider Sen. Barack Obama for your vote.

Two New Ads Highlight Need For Real Solutions To America’s Economic Challenges

Two New Ads Highlight Need For Real Solutions To America’s Economic Challenges

With the stakes higher than ever, the Clinton Campaign today launched two new ads in February 5th states across the country touting Hillary’s ability to tackle the economic challenges facing America 

The first 30-second spot, entitled "Free Fall,” features a skydiver free falling as headlines flash across the screen detailing the housing foreclosure crisis and stock market woes. As the parachute opens, the ad makes the case that Hillary is the candidate who can address the problems plaguing our economy and protect our children’s future.

In the second 30-second spot, entitled “Can Do,” Hillary vows to carry Americans’ voices with her to the White House and bring people together to solve America’s problems. The ad outlines her plan to jumpstart our economy and create millions of new jobs.

Following are the scripts for the ads.

Hillary for President

“Free Fall”

[On Screen] A skydiver free falls, as the ground quickly approaches. Newspaper headlines with bad economic news.

[Announcer]  Our economy could be heading into freefall.

[On Screen] Free fall continues. More newspaper headlines.

For millions of Americans, foreclosures, interest rates, and health care costs are spinning out of control.

With your job and family security in the balance, the stakes have never been higher in choosing our new president.

[On Screen] Skydiver’s parachute opens

The person you can depend on to fix the economy and protect our future.

[On Screen] Still shot of Hillary Clinton

[Hillary Clinton:]  I’m Hillary Clinton and approved this message.

***

Hillary for President

“Can Do”

[Hillary Clinton:] Americans still have that can-do spirit.

We know you can't solve economic problems with political promises.

The stakes are too high, the future too important.

We can turn our economy around and build a new age of prosperity.

I will bring more than my 35 years of experience to the White House.

I will bring your voice... and your spirit.

We are Americans, and together there's no problem we can't solve...

I'm Hillary Clinton and I approve this message because the stakes have never been higher.

Obama Raises $32 Million Dollars In January

Obama Raises $32 Million Dollars In January

David Plouffe in a conference call this morning stated that "In the month of January we have acquired 170,000 new donors for the campaign, which puts us at a total of about 650,000 for the campaign in it's entirety. And we will report raising at least $32 million for the Primary in the month of January."

Barack Obama’s Campaign For Change Comes To Minnesota

Obama’s Campaign for Change Comes to Minnesota

ST. PAUL – On Saturday, U.S. Senator Barack Obama will campaign in Minnesota. Obama will ask Minnesotans across the state to stand for change by voting for him at the precinct caucuses on February 5th and take the first step towards bringing to Washington the kind of change we can believe in.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2
Minneapolis, MN

RALLY WITH BARACK OBAMA
Target Center
600 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55403

Doors Open: 1:30 PM

The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. To RSVP for your free online ticket today please visit https://minnesota.barackobama.com/minneapolis or visit one of our ticket distribution locations listed below beginning Thursday, January 31st.

***For security reasons, bags are not allowed inside the event. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners are permitted.***

Further details to be announced as they become available.

TICKET DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS.

Obama for America Minnesota State Headquarters
2233 University Ave W Suite 225
St. Paul, MN 55114
P:651-645-2008
Hours: 9AM to 10PM

Obama for America Minneapolis Office
212 N 3rd Avenue, Suite 340
Minneapolis, MN 55401
P: 651-528-9340
Hours: 9AM to 10PM

Obama for America Southwest Minnesota Office
2002 2nd Street SW, Suite 5
Rochester, MN 55902
P: 507-206-7941
Hours: 9AM to 10PM

Obama for America South Central Minnesota Office
505 Riverfront Ave.
Mankato, MN 56001
P: 813-465-4003
Hours: 9AM to 10PM

Obama for America Northeast Minnesota Office
126 W 1st Street
Duluth, MN 55802
P: 218-464-3895
Hours: 9AM to 10PM

Obama for America Central Minnesota Office
904 W. Germain Street
St. Cloud, MN 56301
P: 320-248-2335
Hours: 9AM to 10PM

Obama for America North Central Minnesota
15 Washington Street
Brainerd, MN 56401
P: 218-464-3896
Hours: 9AM to 10PM

University of Minnesota (Student Tickets)
Coffman Student Union
Fireplace Lounge
Minneapolis, MN 55455
P: 612-418-9936
Hours: 9AM to 10PM

Obama Statement On John Edwards

Senator Barack Obama released the following statement regarding John Edwards.

“John Edwards has spent a lifetime fighting to give voice to the voiceless and hope to the struggling, even when it wasn’t popular to do or covered in the news.  At a time when our politics is too focused on who’s up and who’s down, he made a nation focus again on who matters – the New Orleans child without a home, the West Virginia miner without a job, the families who live in that other America that is not seen or heard or talked about by our leaders in Washington.  John and Elizabeth Edwards have always believed deeply that we can change this – that two Americans can become one, and that our country can rally around this common purpose.  So while his campaign may end today, the cause of their lives endures for all of us who still believe that we can achieve that dream of one America,” said Barack Obama.

Obama Campaign Airs New Spanish Language TV Ad In Arizona And California

Obama Campaign Airs New Spanish Language TV Ad in Arizona and California

Chicago, IL – Tomorrow, the Obama Campaign will begin airing a new Spanish language television advertisement in Arizona and California entitled, “El Nos Entiende” or "He Understands Us."  The ad features Congressman Luis Gutierrez and highlights Obama's background making change in the Latino Community, during his time as a community organizer and through his work to reform our immigration system.

SCRIPT:

Espanol:

LG (ON CAMERA): Nosotros sabemos que se siente ser usados como chivo expiatorio por nuestro origen y apellido.

--SUPER: LUIS GUTIERREZ

Congresista Demócrata por Chicago

(OFF CAMERA) Y nadie entiende esto mejor que Barack Obama!

Pero ni él ni nosotros nos hemos dejado vencer.

Su lucha comenzó hace muchos años como líder comunitario. Y ahora en el Senado, Obama se ha convertido en un líder de la reforma migratoria.

(ON CAMERA) La lucha continua y nadie nos va a regalar nada.

Unidos con Obama construiremos un mejor futuro.

BO: Soy Barack Obama y yo apruebo este mensaje.

English:

LG (ON CAMERA): We know what it feels like being used as a scapegoat just because of our background and last name.

--SUPER: LUIS GUTIERREZ
Democratic Congressman for Chicago

(OFF CAMERA) And no one understands this better than Barack Obama!

But neither him nor us have given up.

His fight started many years ago as a community organizer. And now in the Senate, Obama has become a leader for immigration reform.

(ON CAMERA) The fight is not over and no one is going to give us anything for free.

Together with Obama we will build a better future.

BO: I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message.